Deckerd saw the world around him at once clear and hazy from the flowing streaks of energies; bright multicoloured landscapes that were limitless in their wonders. The sky was not just blue but was painted with rainbows of colours…and the land below was a giant palette of indescribable hues. Unearthly chiming filled his audio receptors, both peaceful and exciting in a way Deckerd would have never conceived possible to be felt at the same instant. A dreamy, far-off voice joined the beautiful sounds, a voice that he belatedly realized to have come from the man that stood before him despite the unmoving lips, his arms outstretched and the hands spread wide as if holding an invisible wall in front of him. Though the face was that of Kashiwazaki's, he knew that the soul inside was not.

Prepare yourself for the departure…The soul of Kapia whispered to him through the mind. A sense of exhilaration filled Deckerd as he felt the mental touch of the alien pulling at his own being, inviting him to step beyond the boundaries of physical world and enter the new realm of pure energy. He welcomed it, surrendering himself to the invitation and willing to follow the lead of the other, to follow him to the farthest stars. And then…

"Deckerd, always be strong."

The small voice, almost insignificant in the echoes of the chiming and the gentle pull of Kapia's mind-voice, nevertheless pierced the haze of abandon that had wrapped around his mind. His soul, already on the verge of leaving, was compelled to flow back into his Earthly shell. The faces of people he knew and loved surrounded him for the final farewell, knowing that his leaving might not see his return for many, many years ahead. And among those faces, his optics caught on the one he loved most… It was in that briefest instant that Deckerd felt the strange remorse of incompleteness; there were so many things he had wished to do, so many more words he wished to say to this one human he loved above all else…but neither limbs nor words seemed sufficient to convey the desires within him. What he intended could only be shown in a pitiful fraction by the barriers of language and physical actions…

"Farewell…Boss," Deckerd said, coercing the forced smile to appear on his lips. Sorrow was threatening to bleed into his voice so he clamped his mouth shut. If he showed any sadness right now, it would only make the parting even harder than it already was. For the sake of Yuuta, he had to be the strong one of the pair.

"Goodbye, Deckerd."

It was a painful sight and sound. Yuuta's voice was loud and strong but the Brave Detective had been with him enough to recognize the mask. The uncrying surface was a fallacy; the glistening in his eyes was the window of truth to the emotions inside.

Deckerd…

Kapia's mind-voice, a mere faint echo in the wake of Yuuta, called to him. Yuuta was displaying courage and restrain that was astounding not just for his age circle but for humans in general. He was mistaken earlier; it was the human who was the stronger among them, one whose tears were quelled despite the hurt of doing it. Deckerd would not shame his strength by displaying weakness now… so he turned his attention inwards despite his heart's desire, forcing himself to cling on the inviting mind to guide him though it was with efforts that took more than Deckerd allowed to show.. It was still a difficult departure; not least by his affinity to the people he had had the chance to know. In the end, it was his remembering of Yuuta's goodbye, of the hoarse voice struggling not to crack at the utterance of the words that unleashed his soul. The human had granted him the permission to leave and so he would.

I'm coming, Kapia, Deckerd's mind answered, surprisingly peaceful despite the earlier turbulence; Yuuta had made it known that he would be alright and his heart was willing to let go of him. The exhilaration returned and bringing with it a sense joyous weightlessness. Deckerd felt himself leaving for the world of uncertainty beyond this Earth. Then…as if recognizing the soul that was about to depart, Deckerd's physical body moved on its own accord – but it was not movement to bring it somewhere. Joints contorted, gears turning and hydraulics hissed as Deckerd's humanoid form flipped unto itself, the limbs folding inwards to convert into his Corvette alternate mode. The car landed on the smooth concrete once the transformation was finished…and the Brave Detective could feel as if the last link of his metaphysical self to the world dissolved, freeing his life force to roam the world without the restraints of his physical body.

Rise up, Deckerd…

Again, Kapia's voice instructed. The Brave Detective obeyed…and to his surprise, his Corvette body remained unaffected; only a ghostly interpretation of his Earthly existence did. His life force took on a perfect copy of his robotic body as it ebbed out from the gaps on the Corvette's hood – and as it did, an aura of bright blue engulfed him in a brilliantly glittering sphere. The liberation from physical laws was as peculiar a feeling as it was euphoric; the weightlessness he previously experienced was magnified a thousandfold now, feeling as if he could fly to the heavens and above with this form. And yet, as he spread his arms to the side and welcomed this new freedom, Deckerd was suddenly aware the many eyes focused upon him – Mr. Saejima, who was like a father to him; Ayako and Seia, whose presences gave answers to their private questions in life; the neighbours and the Tomonaga sisters, painting colours with their smiles and laughter when the world was bleakly gray.

And Yuuta.

The human boy was practically the reason for his existence. The heart that he was about to share with Kapia's people were his gift…one that he treasured above all else, that was without replacement. It was for the preciousness of it that Deckerd volunteered to share it with others so Kapia's people would again knew the joy and wonder a heart can bestow, wanting Yuuta's kindness to touch them as it did him. But the bitter smile on Yuuta's visage was a poison to Deckerd, a smile hidden behind the obvious pride of Deckerd's thoughtful actions…even though it meant their separation.

"So, that's the life force from Deckerd's Super A.I?" Regina breathed; the girl's eyes were focused only on the general direction of himself; apparently, the sphere that surrounded him were opaque in a way that they were not able to see his metaphysical self inside.

"It's so beautiful," Ayako, the fiery-headed reporter with an attitude to match, whispered. Her voice was full of wonder but her look, like Regina's, was only fixed in Deckerd's rough location.

"Yes, indeed," Seia agreed. Her tone matched that of her companions, and that alone should have sowed a little pride in Deckerd – his apparent beauty was the reflections of his personality…and that had been shaped by the boy who was now standing as transfixed as the rest were at the scene.

And yet…Yuuta's unspoken sorrow, as well covered as it was, was greatly diluting any sense of temporary euphoria he felt before. However, before the sadness could grow into binding chains of torture, Kapia broke the spell of astonishment upon the rest of them when he himself announced, "I will be leaving now."

Barely had he said these, Kapia made good his promise to leave those he had touched as it was before…starting with Kashiwazaki. The man's eyes closed in concentration…and tendrils of aura leeched out of his body, converging above Kashiwazaki's head into a sphere of light which superficially resembled Deckerd's life force, save for the colour for which it was ruby red instead of the former's cerulean blue. Through the constant shimmering and glitters of the sphere's structure, Deckerd's metaphysical optics spied a humanoid form within it, as young-looking as Kashiwazaki himself though with much slimmer build. The hair that flowed over the narrow shoulders was thick, constantly stirring as if blown by gentle breeze though Deckerd could not feel any. Through the peculiar turquoise-blue strands of Kapia's hair, the tip of elven ears rose out from them, long and tapered.

The sudden absence of Kapia left Kashiwazaki's body momentarily empty; the knees buckled but Azuki rushed forward, receiving the prone body into her outstretched arms before he fell to the floor. Kashiwazaki's soul reawakened to his beloved hugging his neck, tender arms on his person making the confident young man stuttering with embarrassment.

"Azuki! What in blazes happened?" Such startling choice of words was not normal of him but disorientation was making his vocabulary poor. Yuuta's eldest sister paid no heed to the confusion, instead conveying her gladness of his return with a tight, sincere hug and an exclamation of gratitude and making the man's cheeks glowed with faint redness.

Throughout the heartwarming exchange, Deckerd could feel his own emotions stirred with longing of things that could never be. How he had wished for tangibility right there and then, if only to give the human a goodbye embrace…before physical touches became an impossibility with thousands of light years spanning between them. Never had he regretted his true body's greater size compared to Yuuta as he did now…for although Yuuta had done the hugging as best as it could before, it was a poor substitute of the complete encircling of warm arms round his girth that he dreamed of. He wanted to feel, at least once, of the bliss of simple contact when one you cared for embraced you with such tenderness. Now, his metaphysical form had the rough size of a human but the arms and hands would not be able to touch Yuuta as a living person could, not when his limbs would pass through solid objects as if they were no more real than a fleeting dream.

We should be going now, Kapia said from behind his own protective sphere. Deckerd swallowed – surprising himself that such earthly gesture was still possible in this spirit body – and nodded, somehow knowing that the alien would be able to see his wordless approval, unlike those around him. The time had finally come…

Kapia's sphere rose slowly, inviting Deckerd to do the same. For a few confusing moments, Deckerd wondered how would he move in this astral state – but even as he imagined himself following after the waiting alien, his ghost-self floated higher and higher, seemingly carried by a pair of wings invisible to his own optics. He understood then – the power of imagination was truest when he was a mere spirit being; the world was as his perception willed to see it so. The discovery made him smiled as he allowed himself to rise up to Kapia's level, effortlessly moving at no cost to his own except for his imagination. And yet, the happiness borne from this freedom of movement grew fainter with every feet of ascent, replaced by a dark, grim sense of unexplainable loss. Despite knowing the folly of it, that he would only invited more sorrow by doing so, the Brave Detective could not help but glance at the Earth several feet below, where his friends and family were waving their final goodbye to him.

"Goodbye, Deckerd!"

Yuuta's voice reached him, as clear as he would have heard it in his physical state and tore through him with the same terrible potency. Though possessing no physical heart as an organ, he nevertheless felt pain originating from his chest.

Kapia…Let us leave quickly, Deckerd urged desperately. It was a discomfort unexplainable by words when seeing the boy's smile did not quite reach the look in those grey-blue eyes. The mask of happiness that Yuuta donned to hide his sadness was because of Deckerd and knowing the terrible pain of it, the once-robot wanted the falsehood to end as fast as possible for his beloved human.

Thankfully, Kapia was emphatic enough to grant him his wish. Faster and faster they soared, their spheres circling each other in an accidental dance as Deckerd sought to escape their voices with the desperation of a dying man. Their figures dwindled to mere specks as Earth fell further away beneath them. Relief swept through him when their voices were no longer intelligible but merely faint echoes of what they once were…until Yuuta's final words broke through the fake tranquility that Deckerd created around himself:

"Deckerd, take care!"

It was all that Deckerd could do to prevent himself from crying out in frustration.

Gritting his teeth tightly until his jaws hurt, Deckerd tore his gaze away from the scenery below him and forcing his focus upon Kapia's rising sphere. His optics stung in a way he had never experienced; perhaps this was how humans felt when the sadness was too great that there was no stopping the tears that flowed from their eyes. Kapia had warned him that the journey to his homeworld would take a long time – and the healing of his people would take even longer – but the true extent of his fate had never came to him until now, when he noted his desire of returning to Earth someday despite the odds…and realized that, though Yuuta would keep his body safe and intact during his absence, the caretaker himself might not live long enough to see the day of his coming back…

So deeply lost in sorrow and futile desires, the Brave Detective barely noticed that they were now high enough that clouds were marching under them, a multilayered white and fluffy procession as far as the optics could see. Kapia was hovering atop curiously shaped cloud formations that roughly resembled an eagle's head. He was not moving except for the natural wavering of the sphere's energy flows; even the wind, which, at such high altitude should have been strong enough to buffet aircrafts, leave no mark whatsoever upon their dream-state bodies. The sudden halt in their progress puzzled him…shouldn't they leave for Kapia's planet as soon as possible?

Before we go, Kapia's voice echoed to him when Deckerd approached the other's hovering sphere, perhaps sensing the Brave Detective's bewilderment, I have a matter to be settled here.

Though Deckerd could not imagine what unfinished business there may be on Earth for this alien visitor, he did not object to the other's decision. If it pertained enough importance to be finished before the healing of Kapia's 'heartless' people could commence , then Deckerd would not stand in his way. Deckerd replied respectfully, I understand. I'll follow you and see to it that it will be finished.

I've been hoping that you would.

The statement, as curious and mysterious as the answerer himself, evoked questions faster than Deckerd could hope to voice them out. He still tried to voice one out among the many fighting to win his inquisitiveness but Kapia did not give him the chance – his sphere wavered slightly before starting off in a direction that he had yet revealed to his Earthling companion. Whether it was out of hesitance in telling the truth or simply in haste to accomplish the unfinished matters, Kapia's action was beyond Deckerd's reckoning but he nevertheless followed, willing his ghostly body to float after the dwindling red energy ball of the other.

The silence that followed as they rode the air was one of comfort rather than uneasiness, but Deckerd could not help but being bewildered at Kapia's wordlessness. When he managed to catch up to Kapia's sphere though, the Brave Detective had managed to stem his urge to ask for the details, fearing the rudeness that might be viewed in his impatience and trusting to the notion that he would be told of it sooner or later, when the time to do so was appropriate. Instead, he focused himself on the aspects of his surroundings, almost ethereally beautiful when seen through his metaphysical view…and the vast floating field of white clouds seemed solid enough to walk upon – or, to build an entire kingdom, for that matter. Of course, this bird's eye-view was not exactly alien to him – in his flight-capable J-Decker and Fire J-Decker form, he had had the luxury of seeing such splendid view – but he was always in the middle of a battle, or in situations which did not permit his lingering on the scenery before. It made him wonder all the more of the vast space that lies outside of this planet's atmosphere, of the unearthly sceneries and objects it held, mysteries and beauties that were hidden from eyes of those who had not the capability to travel beyond the meager distance permitted by the Earth-dwellers' laughable aerospace technology.

Thinking of the space, Deckerd's mind was again pulled to the direction of the space visitor; Kapia seemed to have encountered no trouble navigating himself through the constantly-shifting landscapes of the sky, where distinctive cloud formations could disappear as fast as it appeared. Whether he had an in-built sense of direction or he had learned how to use more than just the obvious hints to locate himself and his destination, Kapia showed no sign of irresoluteness of his chosen path, giving Deckerd no excuse to doubt him when he himself had no inkling of their locations or where they were going. In this body, the Brave Detective doubted that he was capable of exhaustion (or maybe he did, only more slowly than in his physical shell) but the movement of the sun, as well as his own estimation of time, showed that they had been travelling for quite a while. A mountaintop thrusting out of the field of clouds in the distance verified his assumption – the snow-capped granite peak was not immediately identifiable to Deckerd though his memories insisted that he had seen it before, however briefly it was. One thing he was certain of as he spotted the black rock formation, proudly standing its ground and slashing through the procession of clouds, was that he was a long way from home if the mountain which owned it was in sight…perhaps as much as half the world away from Japan.

Kapia, where are –

We have arrived.

Kapia's sudden announcement startled Deckerd, more because he had expected for the journey to be longer rather than because of his interrupted question. Deckerd had little idea where they were…but the answer he craved came from his own mind rather than any verbal reply from his alien companion. As the Brave Detective dove after Kapia, whose sphere parted the clouds as it descended towards the ground, the granite cone revealed itself more and more, belonging not to a lone mountain but rather a range of mountains and hills so high that even their lowest brethren was still covered with snow at their tops. Dark and imposing, the mountainous region presented an even more familiar view to him, ghosts of memories coming up from his mind as he sought the source of this recognition…and realized that they were part of highlands that partially walled the border of Etonian republic.

Etonia. It seemed to belong to an entirely different lifetime when the life-changing mission sent him here and yet, it was barely weeks since the event had taken place. But…why would Kapia bring him here? That single question predominated all other bafflements swirling in Deckerd's mind as their flight brought them over the mountain range. Whatever the reason was, the Brave Detective hoped their visit here would be a swift one – not because of his eagerness to help Kapia's people but rather his reluctance to remain for long in a place where Death had given him a brush of its cold embrace before releasing him back to walk the world of the living. Not only did he was granted a second chance at life, it came with an unexpected gift of independent sentience, no longer needing the Super A.I to give him personality and life. Even until now, Deckerd's logic could not grasp the miracle of his resurrection. He still wondered about the reasons behind his return to life…but the mystery of it improved his appreciation of life as much as it did his fear of death's unknowns.

It was nightfall here, in Etonia; on the opposite side of Earth from Japan, Deckerd's home would still saw the sun shining on the sky, though maybe for not much longer. Etonian countryside was a dark landscape with few specks of lights where houses dotted the land. Trees were dominant residents, cones and firs that remained evergreen through the harshest of winters, reflecting the people that made this land their home. Even the Fahrzeugs, misled though they were, displayed admirable persistence and enthusiasm with which they pursued their ambitions…if only they treaded the right path, the world would surely benefit from the great minds of both mother and son. However, their treachery had transgressed all moralities there were ever existed; such crimes needed to end, and end permanently.

In the distance, Deckerd's heart grew chilled as a structure came into his view; it was out of harmony with everything that surrounded it, a blight upon the tranquil land. The domed top was a failed attempt to reduce its aching prominence in a place where serenity should have ruled, its gigantic size seemingly a mockery to the stones and trees it dwarfed. Perhaps such a negative perception would not have possible if Deckerd was not reminded that the building once housed the induced-sleeping figure of Eva Fahrzeug, the mother of Neuva, the mastermind behind the most advanced computer chip on Earth. It was as if Eva Dome itself was corrupted by her tainted heart, built for goodness but eventually mutated into monstrosity that was beyond healing. Thank goodness that, despite the challenges and difficulties, her maliciousness was finally stopped before it could do more damage.

Eva Dome grew larger in his view as Deckerd and Kapia approached the building. Dark and lifeless, the structure itself and the area surrounding it bore scars of the titanic struggles between the then-twisted Chieftains and the Brave robots; dents, littering of metals and more gruesomely, bits of robotic limbs and mangled bodies lay strewn on the Earth unceremoniously. Deckerd felt a twinge of anger at the thought of these sentient lives perished for no good causes. For the community of human geniuses, the final passing of such renowned name was a lamentable event though they had admitted that such action was necessary. For Deckerd, he bore little else but hatred for her manipulative mind, sparing only a meager grudging acknowledgement for her creation of Fahrzeugronne which, through the kindness of Yuuta, was consequently transformed into Super A.I. When Kapia made to land upon the convex rooftop of the Dome, the Brave Detective felt a great revulsion rising within him as if the building was dirty in a way which simple washing would not be suffice to undo the filth. However, the alien waited in perfect patience for Deckerd to follow suit, compelling the once-robot to do as was expected…if only to get through the matters as quickly as possible. He willed his own sphere to alight beside Kapia's despite the apprehension he felt.

Kapia's intention was still as mysterious as a fog-bound island; Deckerd's mind could not pierce the thickness of it which bothered him greatly…that was, until a disturbing sight ensnared his attention so completely that Kapia's purpose seemed all but important. Eva Dome suffered as much as the land did when Neuva Fahrzeug, along with his Victim-led army of Chieftain robots, launched a massive raid upon the place to free the Fahrzeug female; the rooftop sported a large hole bored open by Victim's powerful fist in order to reach Neuva's mother within. Her deep slumber had been especially induced by a special gas circulating inside her Sleeping Pod – Victim had deposited the portable chamber right beside the hole he himself had made once she was awakened and said object had remained there ever since. It had survived the cacophony of battles and nobody had the foresight to bring it along into the Big Mother. The floating fortress had now seen its end in the bottom of the ocean, along with its mistress. Eva and Neuva Fahrzeug had been declared dead for nobody could perceive that a human could survive such cataclysmic end…

The in-built screen mounted on the Sleeping Pod's control console was saying otherwise, though; the faint glow emanated from it was lively with telemetries of Eva Fahrzeug.

Deckerd had known that Eva's body was constantly monitored throughout her slumber, her vital signs inspected via nano-machines embedded under her skin which collected information of her well-being and wirelessly fed it back to the central computer installed in her Sleeping Pod itself. Should the Fahrzeug mother had really perished beneath the waves, the screen would have naught to display. However, the flickering display of her pulses, heartbeats, temperature…all signs of Eva's survival was there for Deckerd to watch, seemingly challenging the Brave Detective to prove otherwise. This would have been a nightmare to other Brave Polices; to Deckerd, it was like staring through the window of hell itself where the worst of scenario being staged for Deckerd's torment.

The once-robot was consumed by fear so great that he felt like standing against a foe of gargantuan proportion. Fighting against the odds, Eva – and likely her loyal son too – had not only survived the fall and her fortress's destruction but were alive and well enough to make further threats probable, if the telemetries shown were wholly dependable. Without her Chieftain armies – all of them either perished while pursuing her mad goal or turning against their so-called Mother, for those who were unfortunate enough to survive the war – Eva and Neuva posed laughable menace to the Brave Polices but towards Yuuta, who was merely a child of flesh and bone…the beloved Boss of the Brave Polices stood little chance of surviving. Lacking physical internals in his current spirit-like form did nothing to assuage the sudden coldness that chilled Deckerd's core at the notion of Yuuta's demise.

Kapia's proximity to his own self registered sluggishly into his mind; in all of sudden, the alien's people took on secondary priority as the urge to salvage the worsening matters overtook Deckerd's being. This information was known only to himself…the other Brave Polices were ignorant of Yuuta's compromised situation. Turning to face the turquoise-haired alien, Deckerd's mouth was ready to voice his intention but the words were cut short by a shake of Kapia's head…and a reply that circulated anger in Deckerd's heart:

You can't always be there to protect him. When you follow me, Deckerd, you have no such option as coming to his rescue…

It was an honest fact but in Deckerd's anxiety-burdened mind, the statement had a tone of denial within it. If his failure to warn the others of the Fahrzeugs ultimately caused Yuuta's death, the tragedy would be upon Deckerd's shoulder to bear the guilt – and as far as Deckerd was concerned, ignorance and hoping for the best when he could have made the change effectively made him as worst as being the murderer himself.

Yuuta needs my help! Deckerd shouted; his rage was manifesting itself in the brightening glow of his sphere, the surface chaotic with energy from his life-force. Yet, he was cautious enough to rein in his outburst despite his stubbornness to hold his gaze, I will not stand by and let him face the threat alone!

You misunderstand me, Deckerd, Kapia's voice was filled with melancholy – a sympathizing tone that mysteriously shook the other as Kapia uttered the words. It peeled away the layers of anger that his anxiety had lain upon his heart, To protect him is an instinct you can't be parted with…If you still persist to follow me, if you decide to leave anyway…you will not have the means to follow your instinct anymore once the journey begins…

But we're still here! Deckerd's anger was now tainted with anxiety; with every ticking second, the Fahrzeugs were one step closer into fulfilling their revenge. When he next spoke, Deckerd neither realize nor care of the subtle plea in his argument, I can fly faster than J-Decker or Fire J-Decker ever could in this form! It may still not be too late to warn them! Let me go – I swear it, I WILL return and uphold my promise to save your people!

Deckerd's pessimism expected a negative reaction to his request – specifically, an outright denial to administer the warning to his friends – but again, he was baffled when Kapia's eyes still maintained that sympathizing look they wore earlier. With sureness that was alarming, Kapia said firmly, but with gentleness within it that made Deckerd felt like a child, You do NOT want to leave.

The words triggered a reflexive action for argument for it hit Deckerd right in his uncertainty concerning his self-made decision. However, whatever counteractive statement the Brave Detective was about to spill out was filtered into mouth-gaping silence as his innermost conscience rebelled…. Kapia's words had concerned his DESIRE to leave, not his determination or the necessity of it. How could he said otherwise, when to defy it was a lie that was crime against his very being?

You do not want to leave, Kapia's firmness held as he continued on, blue eyes steadily crumbling Deckerd's doubt with his unsettling stare that pierced right to his very soul, You are bound here, to this Earth that you call home. To friends and family who love you…and to the giver of your heart that you love…

In the protective sphere that enveloped his ethereal body, where forces of energy that could rip his spirit asunder could not reach, Kapia's words had found their way into Deckerd's turbulent heart. What he heard from the mouth of the other was raw truth that could neither be denied nor hidden. He was silenced for there was no 'but' to it, not anything that seemed convincing or genuine enough to say without spitting untruths as big as the world itself.

But…I have to help, Deckerd's voice eventually found use again though choked and stricken as it was, I have felt the joy of life and sentience, Kapia. It grieves me when I know that your people had lost theirs…

From the looks in Kapia's eyes, Deckerd recognized the understanding flickering within those cerulean pools of blue. He was the last of his kind to have retained his sense of being, of individuality and uniqueness that one's heart gave. He perceived the unwritten duty upon his shoulders as Deckerd himself had – the sentience he still possessed had to be shared so others may yet know what it was before the spiritual cleansing. However, Kapia's understanding reached far deeper than the young mind of the Brave Detective could for his life had been longer than his youthful appearance let on. He reached out a hand that, despite its ethereal look, grasped at Deckerd's shoulder as firmly as if both he and Deckerd were solid beings. Deckerd's sphere shimmered where the arm had passed through but its integrity remained, perhaps recognizing the intruder as friendly instead of a menace to his survival. He could feel warmth from the fingers on his shoulder but too little calmness radiated from it, not near enough to put him at ease wherelse it would have been enough had the limbs belonged to his beloved Yuuta.

Your offer is a kind one, Deckerd. However, as much as I appreciate it, I cannot accept your aid, Kapia's voice was a mere whisper to Deckerd's audio receptors but there was no way for the Brave Detective to fail in hearing his next words, Yuuta had allowed you to leave on your request – he let you go because such is your wish…yet, I've seen his pain and grief for his own decision. For that, I cannot buy my people's happiness at the cost of others.

Against such blunt arguments, Deckerd had no words to counter them even if he desired so. However, his heart was screaming the folly with which his decision was bringing for deep within him, a subconscious knowledge existed of his state of being that Deckerd had never been exactly aware of. All the while he knew, though no explanation came with the knowledge, was that ever since he was granted a second chance at life, his attachment to Yuuta grew all the closer that no words could do justice to describe his dependency on the boy. However, if Deckerd's young mind was still baffled to this increasing closeness, such puzzle did not exist to Kapia for he had seen and heard enough to understand the pieces in their entirety – and it was this knowledge that he intended to give the Brave Detective as he moved his hand down to the once-robot's torso, the palm lightly resting just below the decorative red metal at the top of the V-shaped piece of his chest. Deckerd shivered instinctively – but it was not a reaction that he gave out for the same reasons his body did whenever Yuuta comforted him with his touches; Kapia's hand felt warm and tingling with spiritual power, far, far stronger than that possessed by the detective. If before Deckerd had perceived the deceiving youthfulness in his appearance, only now did he truly realized that here was a being whose age spanned the range of many men's lifetimes, gathering wisdom innumerable as the years passed him by.

Your innate kindness is at war with your conscience – that is understandable, Kapia went on; his eyes grim and serious as he spoke, But there is one thing that you have yet to understand; or else this confusion and doubt would not have existed in the first place.

What are you –

As Deckerd prepared himself to reply, Kapia's hand was suddenly filled with shocking hotness that was almost painful – but it did not really harm the spirit-like detective. The heat coursed through his body, dispersing its intensity as it went that Deckerd felt his pain lessened with time gradually. His gasp wound down to silence while he made peace with the unexpected sensation, willing his body to accept it as long as it did not hurt. However, his real surprise lay not in the suddenness of the heat's coming – but rather because of the effects it left on him for Kapia did not only supplied him with meaningless warmth; it was the effect from transferring large amount of energy from Kapia – whose body had stored and nurtured it throughout his spiritual travel – into Deckerd, heightening his senses to a whole new level and enabling him to perceive what had been hidden before.

What Deckerd perceived was explanation to a part of his bewilderment, almost literally. For Kapia's sharing of his surplus power revealed to the detective's optics beautiful azure strings of energy, flimsy-looking and almost delicate from the way it glowed, that seemed to come out from a mysterious source beyond his sight and connected themselves to Deckerd's chest where his heart would have been would he was a human. The energy pulsed weakly, dispiritedly, as if spanning the leagues between himself and…whatever it was at the other end was a daunting task but it glittered nonetheless, gleaming with multicoloured sparks like stars on a blue sky; each beat unleashing out rich cerulean radiance that joined back the main threads, racing along them until they dispersed into Deckerd's form, bathing him in beautiful glow.

What…is this? Deckerd asked, fascinated by the unearthly sight; his chest was literally connected to the string of light which wound and twisted in the most surreal way, like a dye in water disturbed by an invisible eddy or current, riding across the sky until it disappeared beyond the horizon.

You have felt your closeness to Yuuta growing when you came back to life, Kapia began while still keeping his hand was firmly planted on Deckerd's front, and this is the reason why. You have wondered, I am sure, why you are resurrected when the Fahrzeugs killed you. It is because your body has been filled by the life force from Yuuta when yours departed…

Deckerd would have shouted but his surprise was so intense that all he could manage was a half-gasp and a frozen gape of his mouth. His fingers, previously prodding the energy-strings out of his inquisitiveness drew back instinctively as if his careless gesture had left filth in the azure stream, a thing that, if Kapia was right, was almost sacred to the Brave Detective. You mean…this…this is Yuuta's life-force?

But Deckerd needed no affirmation to the question that both acknowledged to be rhetorical; he had felt the closeness, almost a reverence to the energy-force even before he was aware of its identity. Though its warmth comforted him and its beauty gladdened his heart in much the same way Yuuta's presence did, Deckerd began to notice of the weakening glow of the light the threads gave out. Deckerd ran his fingers through them, cautiously, tenderly, as if a slight disturbance would compromise its existence, and was disturbed to find that his sight had not been lying; there was no exact description to give the feeling that Deckerd experienced, but to him, it felt as if the very liveliness was disappearing from the energy-strings. Distraught by his discovery, Deckerd turned towards Kapia, his stare replacing the voice in requesting for explanation.

Kapia understood the question posed without the need to verbally ask it and replied – and for once, his tone wavered as if his previous confidence had worn off, Do not assume that I know for certain everything that is happening to you. Even among the wisest of my kind, the subject of life and the force behind it is a complex, unpredictable study. I can only make an educated guess concerning your situation…though I am quite sure in saying that, whether you realize it or not, you are still unwilling to leave…and that you yourself mourn for your own decision. You're losing the will to live, so to speak…and the emptiness you feel is because of your sorrow. Distance alone does not affect the sharing of life-force between two…but emotions certainly do.

Deckerd stared at the alien with a renewed awe at the seemingly mythical opinions that Kapia's mouth uttered. Yet, deep down, as nonsensical as it might sound and despite Kapia's admittance to his 'shallow' knowledge, the Brave Detective could find no other explanation to his condition. Who was he to question the logic of things when he himself was brought to sentience through seemingly miraculous circumstances? Lost in his thoughts, Deckerd was caught by surprise when Kapia withdrew his hand, thus severing the contact he established with the Brave Detective. The surplus energy dissipated into the surrounding, and with it, gone Deckerd's heightened senses; though they were still there, connecting himself and Yuuta with the boy's life-force until the latter's end finally come, the energy streams faded from the once-robot's vision as his sensitivity was returned to what it was once. But the beats of life from them, though fainter now with the loss of his sensitivity, remained to his senses as if reminding him of this unbroken connection he had with the boy.

But, Kapia…your people…I can't just leave and –

Kapia's sad, solemn gaze silenced the Brave Detective from resuming his sentence; there was finality in the alien's eyes and also determination, as if all had been thought out before the journey even started. You are indeed a suitable person to help me heal my people…but you are NOT the only one. I can't take you away from your friends and family so I've set my sight on another. However, when the Big Mother sunk under the sea, I was convinced that 'he' perished with the Fahrzeugs…I admit; I've led you to Etonia because I was searching for any surviving Chieftain along the way that can help me cure my people – besides attempting to convince you that you are more needed here than at my homeworld. Yet, here we came across proofs of the Fahrzeugs surviving the crash; if that is so…there is still a chance that my 'chosen' survive it too.

If I may ask, who is this 'chosen one' you've spoken of? But Deckerd, gathering the pieces together throughout their conversations and putting his detective sense to use, knew instinctively whom the other was referring to, one whose heart knew the kindness of Yuuta in the late hour of his life but repented his mistakes with sacrifices of his own. He was never a Brave Police, even becoming their arch nemesis for a time, an enemy so bitter that it seemed that there would be no forgiving for him at first – but Yuuta grieved for his passing all the same for his life was short and full with pain; evilness that was not of his design were thrust into his hands, wrapped in subtle lies that made him the black sheep in the eyes of the law, and he served the twisted ends of the Fahrzeugs until his own conscience was awoken to the truth.

I was talking, as you might have guessed, of Victim O'Rand.

The uttering of the name was a revelation that cured Deckerd of his dumbness, a sunlight that scattered the bewilderment of journeying in mist. Kapia's strange eyes, young and yet aged with wisdom of unnumbered years, locked with Deckerd's optics and there was uncertainty within the beautiful amber orbs of the latter; home was calling but Deckerd's heart loathed to part in such hurriedness, feeling as if his sudden leaving was a mess that Kapia would be forced to solve on his own. Reading this on the Brave Detective's countenance, Kapia let out a well-intended chuckle for the other's naivety and said, You have a kind heart, Deckerd of the Brave Police. But your place is not with me and your purpose is different from mine. That task is for another; rest assured that Yuuta's deeds will be known far beyond this world and Victim will be the vessel for it.

The last chain was finally severed; the benevolence inherent in him could finally find peace that Kapia did not grant him freedom without anyone to shoulder the responsibility in his stead. Unspoken words rang through them, an understanding of the time for true parting; the paths laid before them were different for each though neither was of lesser importance than the other. And with it, peace born from acceptance descended upon them, decorating their farewells with blessed silence.

Thank you, Kapia. We will never forget you, Deckerd muttered, and though the words were simple, the rich glow of his optics spoke of the depth of his gratitude that words were not sufficient to convey – but they were perceived easily enough by the alien. Kapia nodded his understanding; that Deckerd had reached the end of his restraint and was desperate to return for the life and death of his beloved human depended on his swiftness.

Go now, Deckerd. He is waiting for you.

The quietness was broken by Kapia's voice and his words roused Deckerd, unwittingly reminded of the tears shed from Yuuta's eyes the night before. For the first time ever, Deckerd truly remarked the hidden vow in the more obvious one, when Yuuta had promised to stem his crying until reaching adulthood, he had also made a secret vow to wait as long as his life permitted until the day of Deckerd's return…that boy had nurtured a belief amidst his sorrow against all odds. For all the unnecessary grief he had caused the human boy, the detective felt in himself the responsibility to save Yuuta the torture of seemingly endless waiting. Even as his thoughts strayed more and more towards the sole Tomonaga boy, Deckerd's body rose off the Eva Dome as if finally free from whatever strings that rooted him there, finally able to respond to the silent call of his longing. Below, Kapia the alien visitor watched in silence as Deckerd ascended the heavens once again, perhaps for the final time in his spirit form; in his eyes was a yearning for the love aplenty in Deckerd for his people, but he approved of his departure all the same, for the detective's heart had and would always belong here, and theft it would be had Kapia brought Deckerd away even with the latter's consent.

Higher and higher Deckerd rose until he was above the clouds – though before the whiteness obscured his vision of the Earth beneath him, one final glance was spared for Kapia and nodded his heartfelt thanks for the other's consideration. Kapia lifted his hand, acknowledging both his farewells and gratitude, before a force unseen and powerful pulled at Deckerd, bidding him to quickness as he had never done before; from a total standstill, Deckerd's spirit-form burst flight of unbelievable speed, like a kite high in the winds whose taut string finally gave way to the strength of Mother Nature. He passed through the dark valleys of Etonia silent and swift, soaring over the encircling mountains at the country's border and over the wide, wide expanse of the dark sea, the waters as troubled as Deckerd's heart. Hundreds of miles were eaten away as if they were no more than a stone's throw distance for desperation was lending itself speed for the Brave Robot. Memories of his journey with Kapia led him on until at last, the familiar shores of his home was again within sight; the shores of the Land of the Rising Sun.

Deckerd gave no heed to the proud buildings of the city, instead steering himself towards the house of the Tomonaga family. Dark thoughts hovered over his mind like black clouds whose rain was torment rather than relief, blocking out the sky of his soul even as Nanamagari City came within view. The thrumming within him, the very beats of life-force sent from his beloved human so that Deckerd's life could continue, grew frantic and irregular and by that alone, the Brave Detective knew that something had indeed gone amiss. Fear stretched the mere seconds his spirit-form needed to reach his destination into hours; the horror that engulfed him afterwards seemed like an eternal thing because the Fahrzeugs, the nightmares of all the sentient robots, were indeed there. Both mother and child stood side by side before the gate of the Tomonaga's residence – and Yuuta was there too, along with his two sisters, the three kneeling not in defeat but in helplessness. In the hand of Nueva was a gun smoking from what was unmistakably very recent shot and Deckerd's keen optics saw the charred hole on the fabric of Yuuta's cloth.

The deceivingly smooth, clear voice of Nueva Fahrzeug rang like bells in the still night air; his declaration was one that Deckerd would never able to forget, even haunting his dreams for years afterwards: "I'll kill you, no matter how many tries it takes!"

And Deckerd screamed in answer, ignoring that these humans could not have heard his voice when he was a spirit while the others walk the world of the living, his rage and fear no longer stood his restraints when the sun of his life was threatened, You will not live to try more!

Instinct guided him now; Deckerd dove towards the criminals with all the speed he could muster, faster even than when he had traversed the lands and waters between here and Etonia. He gathered all the terrible strength of anger and hatred to him, and like a bullet loose from the muzzle of a gun, the detective plunged straight ahead for the son of the Fahrzeug with speed unmatched by the fastest reflex on Earth. The force of his fury was unleashed as his energy sphere collided with the human and burnt the hand that had dared pointing the gun at Yuuta. Nueva grunted in a mixture of surprise and pain but Deckerd passed him by; his current form allowed only limited ability for both defense and offense – and the detective had no intention to be idle. He sped off towards the body he had left behind; his earthly shell, the now-unliving Corvette parked at the side of the house, glowed bright blue as Deckerd's life-force was suffused into it. Instantly, miraculously, the disembodied spirit of the Brave Detective brought the shell back to its former life as his consciousness was again throned within it; the very air crackled with energy as the assimilation was concluded, creating spirals of wind that was not the making of the natural weather. But activities had not ceased for the Corvette form of Deckerd, which was now creaking, unfolding, rearranging its various parts until the car was no more and Deckerd the Brave Detective stood once again in the world of the naked eyes.

"HOLD UP!" Deckerd shouted even as he turned towards the Fahrzeugs, one hand reaching for his gun and the other for his infamous BP Badge. Both objects were displayed in the plain view of the two criminals and Deckerd's voice rang as harsh as grinding stones, "I am Deckerd of the Brave Police!"

Deckerd's primeval instinct was to shoot the villains without care for the consequences – but through the mist of his anger a small voice came to his audio receptors, and the sound of it calmed, if not outrightly quenched the turbulence in him and it whispered, "…Deckerd?"

His optics were naturally drawn away from the disgusting pair, towards a person far more pleasing to his hearing and sight. Yuuta stood exactly where he was, his sisters clinging to him in worry and gladness intermingling with each other. That fair face was pale with fear that wrenched at Deckerd's heart and though he could see no stains of blood on his person, the Brave Detective was nevertheless anxious for Yuuta's fare. His tone was harsh but only because of the fear still refusing to relax its grip on the robot officer, "Yuuta, are you okay?"

Apparently, shaken by his ordeal and bewildered by Deckerd's sudden return, Yuuta could only manage a nod and a hum of acknowledgement – though they were all that the Brave Detective required. He could feel the mechanical joints in his limbs loosened, relaxed now in the knowledge that his arrival was not a second too late. His tight expressions softened – but before true happiness could find place in him, Nueva's angry curse broke the temporary peace, "Damn it!"

And taking the hand of his mother, Nueva led her into the darkness of the alley. The aggression within Deckerd was re-kindled at this attempt of escape and again his voice shattered the silence of the night, commanding them to stop. They did not obey, of course, because Deckerd's optics shone with promise of retribution far worse than what they had in mind for Yuuta; on they ran, not even risking a brief glance towards the robot and his charge, their footsteps finally fading into quietness when their outlines were swallowed by the shadows of the night. Deckerd would have pursued them to the end of the world and beyond if needed be but the encircling or arms round his legs put stop not only to his intended movements, but also any other thoughts of violence; when Yuuta smiled, the world was suddenly a more forgiving place, so it seemed in the optics of the leader of the Brave Police.

"Deckerd, is that really you?"

The face turned up towards him was aglow with gladness that Deckerd had robbed with his departure and now, it was returned to the visage of this boy he cared so deeply about. There were glints of moisture in the blue-grey eyes but the tears were not for mourning; and for the first time since Deckerd had left as a spiritual being, a genuine smile grew on his mouth. He went down to his knee and said, "Yes, it's me, all right."

Yuuta's smile widened all the more at the assurance, Deckerd's name falling from his tongue as a happy exclamation. But then, bewilderment changed the boy's expression and he asked Deckerd the question that would have burdened him had Kapia did not prepare for him the answer, "Are you sure it's okay to be back here?"

"Kapia had someone else in mind from the very start."

"…Who would that be?"

And Deckerd told him the name that had been previously spoken to him – but the full reasons of his return did not pass to Yuuta's ears. He had not the heart to burden the boy's mind with thoughts of responsibility of Deckerd's existence; the life that connected them belonged to Yuuta and if he went, neither could Deckerd survive. A sudden shame gripped him; what weakness was more despicable than forgetting the gratitude for gifts so great? Deckerd had been foolhardy to assume that he was beyond dependency for Yuuta; when fear of loneliness had him and he had asked – no, begged – for companionship, Yuuta freely gave it to him through vow sown with tears, fearing Deckerd's permanent deactivation if he refused. Yet, today he was the one who asked for his leave, forsaking this planet in illusion that he had done enough deeds to have paid all debts.

"Victim…survived?" Yuuta's eyes widened but not in fear and wonder filled his face. His voice blew away Deckerd's reverie and brought the robot detective back to the present, just in time to see him smiled for one he only knew in fleeting time. "That's wonderful! But…will he be able to help Kapia?"

"I'm sure he can," Deckerd replied and he believed it. Perhaps Victim would prove to be a better teacher and healer than Deckerd could be, having passed through darkness and emerged from it, scathed yet all the more learned because of the experiences. Pride welled inside Deckerd at Yuuta's thoughtfulness; the Tomonaga boy was still concerned with the matters of Kapia's people though he was in no way answerable to their fate.

"…and you, Deckerd? Will you stay with me?"

And there it was, neatly hidden underneath layers of his delight at Victim's fate, the plea without words to have Deckerd remained with him. It had cost Yuuta all of his restraints to say goodbye to his dearest friend before and knowing that 'welcome back' might never had the chance to be uttered again. To repeat the procedure all over again was too much an emotional burden for the boy, one that Deckerd too could not bear to see him in again. Glancing briefly in the direction of Yuuta's sisters and finding that the hope that painted Yuuta's face was also present on theirs, Deckerd let his whisper being carried to the all ears that would hear him, "As long as I live, Yuuta, I will." And he really would, for no greater commands save those from this boy himself would rid him from Yuuta's side.

And Yuuta suddenly laughed amidst his gentle sobs, so intense his emotions were that stirred his soul until he could not decide on which reactions to give. Small fingers clenched at the hard edges of the detective's leg, his warm body pressed close to the metal surface in as best an embrace as their size difference allowed and he whispered, "I'm glad you came back, Deckerd."

"So am I, Yuuta," Gently, Deckerd laid a single finger on Yuuta's bowed back while the boy silently cried his joy with his face pressed against the metals of his leg. His joyful heart cried with the Tomonaga boy though his optics did not, only glowing in that manner which had always signified his pleasure. Deckerd needed not go anywhere because his place in the world would be forever he was right now. "So am I."